Town chief executive Simon Clegg has revealed that clubs contravening the new Financial Fair Play rules will not face any sanction for the first two seasons while existing player contracts are allowed to run down. Championship clubs have agreed to move to the break-even model from next season.

Clegg said: “Whilst Financial Fair Play will kick in from the start of next season, the current proposals are that there will be no sanctions for the first two years.

“What they want to do is get people into the process of filling in a Fair Play model and submitting results against that model to allow current players’ contracts to run out.”

He admits that the process could potentially be open to clubs ignoring the rules during that period: “There is nothing to stop people doing that but the whole reason that the sanctions don’t effectively kick in for two years to allow people to run out their three-year contracts with players who only have two years to run at the end of this season.

“So, if people make commitments for new players going forward and throw lots of money at it and don’t achieve it, they are going to face a huge challenge when the sanctions do kick in. It’s a high-risk strategy.

“The feeling was that we had to look at this strategically and, while there are faults with the sanctions not kicking in until two years’ time, it was to allow contracts to run out for those clubs who were committed to long-term player contracts before this was implemented.”

Last week, a report by a committee of the Council of Europe labelled deals such as Manchester City’s £400 million sponsorship by Etihad, which has links to their owners, “improper transactions”.

There has been speculation that Town — and other Championship clubs - might take a similar approach to the new rules but Clegg says efforts are being made to close those possible workarounds: “There is certainly a massive attempt to stop people from creatively finding loopholes, otherwise it’s a meaningless process.

“This is being driven from the very best of intentions - to stop clubs going into administration by spending beyond their means. And therefore a lot of work has gone in to ensure that there aren’t loopholes.”

However, Clegg admits that he, like other chief executives, will be trying to find ways of benefiting his side: “I’ll be looking at everything which will allow us to gain a competitive advantage over the other 23 clubs. That’s what I’m paid to do.”

He says clubs will have the freedom to make decisions as long as they spend within their means: “There’s not a wage cap, it’s an attempt to move us to break-even and then you’ve then got complete flexibility in terms of what priority you want to give to different cost centres within the club.”

The precise nature of the rules are yet to be confirmed - “We still don’t have definitive clarity, the final documentation will not be delivered until June” — but clubs’ wage bills and Championship player salaries will undoubtedly drop as a result.

Clegg says some sides will be affected more than others: “If everyone is being forced to bring wage bills down, then it’s going to hit everyone, maybe not equally, but it is hitting everyone. The challenge for us will be to operate more efficiently as a business and drive more revenue.”

Inevitably clubs who have recently been in the Premier League will be better off than most, Clegg says: “Relegated clubs will have a greater advantage because of the parachute payments.”

It might take a while for the Championship wages market to settle at a new level but Clegg won't hold back on offering new contracts to current players while this happens: “We will do what’s right for this football club. We will offer what we believe is right at the right time to those players that we want to keep.

“I take your point that it would be nice to see where the other 23 clubs settle but you never really know anyway, so what you’ve got to do is to make the right offer to the right player at the right time for your club.

“The challenge is whether the players psychologically have understood that the market has changed, and their agents.

“And whether they are getting equal feedback in the discussions that they may or may not be having with other clubs, and whether they want to stay here at Town.”

He says it’s possible that the nature of players’ contracts could develop because of the new rules, perhaps to reflect a club’s changing financial situation: “We’re not at the point yet where you are looking at the potential for players to become more performance pay related, and when I talk about performance, I’m not just talking about what on the pitch but what happens in the business.

“I think that there is the potential, although I’ve not heard of it yet, for contracts to be structured in a slightly different way.”

Ultimately, Clegg sees the new rules as a move in the right direction: “When you step back and you look at the big picture, this can only be a good for football.

“It’s very sad to see Portsmouth, Port Vale and Rangers in the situations that they are in and no one would like to see Portsmouth go under completely. It is a massive wake-up call for the other 71 clubs.”

Photo: Action Images

Photo: Action Images

hampstead_blue added 12:03 - Mar 12 Delighted to have SC at the helm. Common sense in football finance will only work if there are strong management teams in place. Having SC at the helm sets us up nicely.
0

Bugleboy added 12:17 - Mar 12 Totally agree. This fair play could not have come in at a better time it also means that those swiddeling agents who are (acting in the best interests of their player, bollox) lining their pockets will also notice a drop in the money they get as agents fees. Glad that we have SC at the helm will keep our finances well under control.
0

Seasider added 12:36 - Mar 12 Major Clegg certainly seems up with current situation regarding the Fairplay rules;but because he is very conscious,unlike others,of whats going to happen,has it put the club at a disadvantage to other clubs when trying to sign players?Phil has reassured me somewhat by the above posting that it has not;but we still need I feel at least one possibly two centre backs,a goalkeeper,perhaps a big front man as we havn't replaced Conor.The midfield seems okay but really need cover for both full back positions as have been lucky having two super fit players in Carlos and Aaron. Carlos Edwards for Town player of the season just pipping Lee Martin.

0

ThatMuhrenCross added 12:40 - Mar 12 All the jigsaw pieces seem to be coming together now. Simon Clegg has been and is doing a good job for this club. Anyone who thinks a successful businessman like Marcus Evans is ever going to employ somebody who is clueless to run one of his businesses, is absolutely wrong. It is because of Evans and Clegg that ITFC will head into next season in an advantageous position over its competitors in terms of finance.

0

itfchorry added 13:29 - Mar 12 Hampstesd Blue Are you Cleggy in disguise ?
0

bluelady added 13:54 - Mar 12 i have met Simon Clegg recently and he is a very clever man, very passionate about Ipswich Town and somone who will not be bullied into paying over the odds for players so we end up in a Portsmouth situation. He has rather unfairly been a scapegoat when things were not going well, but at the end of the day we cannot gain promotion at all costs - it has to be as a good business for sustainability.

0

newboy added 13:56 - Mar 12 Only someone who is on the payrole could be delighted to see SC at the helm. Perhaps if he and PJ had not squandered money on the old boys we could all sit back and think well done but all this talk goes out of the window when it comes to getting an OAP they want. You will never be the people to take this club forward and this will be proven when you can't sell the season tickets this year but well done for putting a positive spin on ruining the club. And our debt is mounting daily so we will never be in an advantageous position next season or the one after

0

Bergholtblue added 14:01 - Mar 12 What are the range of sanctions that could be imposed on clubs if they transgress the FFP rules? Does anyone know?
0

Wickets added 15:58 - Mar 12 Blimey hes talking sence for once!! wonders will never be.
0

Sindre94 added 16:22 - Mar 12 Clegg in
0

itfc1981 added 16:26 - Mar 12 Simon Clegg can reacact about quickly as a sloth to a crisis. He is utterly abysmal at his job. Allowing managers to waste millions over the last five years has left us facing these future constraints. He has uttlerly alinented the town support.
0

PhilTWTD added 16:36 - Mar 12 Bergholtblue Fines and possible points deductions, I seem to recall.
0

itfc1981 added 16:36 - Mar 12 This is the same Simon Clegg who said a few months ago that former Blues striker Jordan Rhodes, who has scored 33 goals for Huddersfield so far this season, and was named the League One Player of the Year at last night's Football League Awards may not make it at Championship level. Can ITFC really afford to have such divine wisdom at the helm?
0

SuperReuser added 16:53 - Mar 12 itfc1981 - are you serious 'He is utterly abysmal at his job.' 'He has uttlerly alinented the town support' I utterly disagree. I think he has recently made good decisions. In the job he does it will often be one in which he has to make the difficult decision that fans may not agree with. I like Clegg and have always said I think he knows what he is talking about. ITFC1981, what would you do differently? (and selling rhodes wasnt all his decision - im sure he regrets it to be honest. in all seriousness we probably all didnt expect him to turn out this good!)

0

Marcus added 17:03 - Mar 12 @itfc1981 - the role of a good chairman/chief exec (and also owner) is to publicly support management decisions even if they disagree with them. This is exactly what Clegg did when confronted with a question regarding Jordan Rhodes. It was entirely Keane's decision to cut Rhodes as he saw him as being overly connected to his father who Keane had sacked as goalkeeper coach. Rhodes publicly stated he didn't want to leave but players often say one thing in public and something else in private so who knows the full story? If you need someone to blame for the sale of Rhodes the 'tort' cuts far more for Keane than anyone else, but he's long gone and I'd argue there's little point blamestorming to find someone else to criticise.

0

TractorTrog added 17:06 - Mar 12 Totaly agree thank goodness for our mangment team in SC and ME without whom belive me the club would be in tatters..... so come blue boys and girls lets get behind our club becuase the one thing they want to achieve is where we want to go THE PREM !!!! COYB...
0

itfc1981 added 17:58 - Mar 12 Where do I start, not getting players contracts tied up early/ selling them when they wont sign! declaring players were holding the club to ransome over contracts. i.e. playing hardball to often. (for no good reason) Odd Public statements in the press PR issues, ticketgate scandal (what was he thing of) Rhodes got 40 goals in resers and yth's before leaving (It was clear he was special) taken off players deals, even ME so his faults here, shame he is back involved again. Even on the real ale promotions he flopped all out by 6!?! Football in the community, where is Clegg's presence here? Like Norwich the club should be the beating heart of the community. the focal point. He has no idea how to make it so.

0

bluelady added 18:35 - Mar 12 Itfc ..... have you met and spoken to him? do you know anything about the guy other than what the Media want you to believe? Do you know how hard it is to run any business let alone a football club with players and agents holding clubs to ransome? Would you really prefer we were run like Portsmouth? He has made mistakes, havent we all, but he is an astute business man and is running the business the way it should be, to ensure the club has a future.

0

piersmorganisatool added 18:42 - Mar 12 regardless of this issue, i don't see Simon Clegg as the right man in the boardroom, i think he's a decent person but i don't believe he will be able to help us get to the promised land of the premiership. however if the goal is to stay in the second or third tier of english football? then he's our man. nothing personal.
0

Essexnblue added 19:41 - Mar 12 Usual posters on here who only spout nonsense. The post is about Clegg who as stated is employed by ME who continues to subsidise this club. As stated Evans is a strong businessman who doesnt suffer fools. Keane after sacking Jordan Rhodes father, made the decision to sell Jordan. Jordan despite a fantastic record in Div 1 is unproven elsewhere and according to Huddersfield Town FC have had little interest in the young man. However should he produce the goods again next season then I guess they may lose him, but at present he is going through a lean spell. At the end of the day the only reason we are in the buying market is because of ME, so we have to respect his choice of CEO.

0

itfc1981 added 19:54 - Mar 12 Essex Huddersfield rejected bids in jan! Clark said so. Bluelady. It is not hard to run a club that is expected to make huge losses each season. Which is disturbing as Clegg still seems to struggle!
0

JustSpivvyChops added 20:23 - Mar 12 ITFC1981, I have met, dined with and watched games with most of the board of ITFC (most recently against Bristol). One thing i'll clear up now for you, is that Clegg was in no way responsible for the "running down" of player contracts. The decision was the manager's and the CEO simply backed the manager's decision. The only thing Clegg was guilty of, was misplacing his trust, to a total bell end (who should never have been employed in the first place, which in fairness, was ME's and SC's decision). That is 1st hand, unquestionable, unflappable, unwavering, FACT. That is all

0

DikkieCOYB added 20:36 - Mar 12 Dont know why people are arguing or having a go, am i the only one who already knew about this or something. We shouldnt be in that much of a situation regarding transfers and the like. Several players deals end at the season and most of them have made scarce if any appearance so it's not as if they are incredibly valuable or important. We have young whight to back up Cresswell, hopefully Peters if he doesnt leave for Carlos, hopefully a centre half as well. The only important thing is sorting out the defence, we score enough but concede too many. Rather simple if you ask me.

0

gilo1973 added 20:38 - Mar 12 It is about time that this has happened to football. For too long idiots who couldn't organise a p*ss up in a brewery run the most followed sport in the world. Hopefully in time it will stop fool hardy comments from the likes of itfc1981 who seemt o think that running a muti-million pound business is easy. When fully implemented the rules will mean that the club should remain a going concern and not be, as we currently are dependent on ME for survival. The sooner people realise how much we need ME the better as this dependency is bad for the club. The clock cannot be turned back, however pre-sky sports the game was in a much better position - gamesplayed Saturday pm, affordable and a dozen clubs in with a chance of winning the league

0

itfc1981 added 22:26 - Mar 12 gilo1973, its relative. how do you gauge he is doing well when we lose money hand over fist. I think our brewery will continue to be dry for a long while with Clegg in charge. Fool hardy comments these are past facts. Jewell said contracts must never be allowed to be run down again, low and behold guess what this season. Jewell was speaking about Clegg.
0

Blogs 295 bloggers

Ipswich Town Polls